Lot 13

Overall in good condition, irregularity in paint to upper right corner which is difficult to determine cause but it's possible there was an adhesion or additional paint there that has been removed


The opinions expressed in the condition reports are a guide only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Prospective buyers are encouraged to seek further information or request additional images during our pre-sale period where Leonard Joel staff are available for advice. Please note condition reports can be amended during the pre-sale period, so we strongly suggest any interested bidders check the published condition report available on the website before the auction commences. Leonard Joel makes no guarantee of the originality of mechanical or applied components. Absence of reference to such modifications does not imply that a lot is free from modifications.

Lady Nolan, United Kingdom
Corporate collection, Melbourne
Menzies, Sydney, Fine Australian and International Paintings and Sculpture, 22 March 2012, lot 19 (label verso)
Private collection, Melbourne
Menzies, Sydney, Quarterly Fine Art Auction, 15 November 2012, lot 46
Private collection, Sydney

(probably) Landscapes and 'Ned Kelly' Paintings of 1979, Rudy Komon Gallery, Sydney, March 1980 (label attached verso, stock no. 4997)

© Sidney Nolan/Copyright Agency, 2023

"Predominant among Sidney Nolan's themes are the ancient mystery of the Australian continent and its precipitate modernity – a paradox that he has brought into the mind's eye of his countrymen over the past forty years. He is a poetic and highly accomplished painter, whose power rests on an ability to suggest simultaneously the might and the fragility of life." 1

Widely recognised both at home and overseas; Sidney Nolan's work has become synonymous with the mythology of the Australian outback. Nolan's depiction of Australia's landscape and ability to convey complex narratives, were crucial to the development of the Australian Modernist movement. Amongst Nolan's depictions of the land his iconic Ned Kelly silhouette stands out as instantly recognisable and was most prominently illustrated in his Ned Kelly series from 1946-47. The Kelly mask silhouette became intertwined with Australian identity and was illustrated worldwide, even utilised in the opening of the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics.

In Nolan's Ned Kelly series from the 1940's the mask sits flatly on the canvas in black stencils over scenes in the Australian outback. However, in many of his other works where he utilises the same shape, such as in Mask (1979) and Mask (1980), the outline of the mask acts as a framing device to explore individual moments in isolation. Rather than the narrative informed scenes of his Ned Kelly series resembling a play, his Mask series are prompts into Ned Kelly himself, closely exploring the complexity of the character and moments like a Greek tragedy.

The artwork Mask (1980) depicts Kelly's last moments in a haze of orange layers, the prominent silhouetted mask depicted in a rich block of colour. A handprint and hanging noose draw the attention down to a portrait, presumably of Kelly, in the centre of the composition. The painterly marks draw an expressive portrait, conveying the harrowing moment. Trailing towards the bottom of the work, Nolan has inscribed Kelly's legendary (yet highly debated) last words "such is life," almost inconspicuously at the bottom on the canvas.

This work, capturing the climax of the Kelly narrative, was produced as part of a series for Rudy Komon Gallery on the 100th anniversary of Ned Kelly's death. Nolan has described his work during this period as attempting to turn the 'cliché' into something "monumental."2 In the present lot, Nolan has achieved this monumentality by using the silhouette as a mechanism to offer the viewer a window into the fateful scene.

Early in his career as a commercial painter Nolan worked with glass signs and stencils. These techniques were highly influential throughout his practice, most notably in his use of blocks of colour, layering of forms and particularly in his printmaking practice. In the present lot we see Nolan utilising these techniques to bring the mythology of Ned Kelly out of the landscape and into a more nuanced dimension. Through abstract forms and vivid colours Nolan highlights the human condition and extracts a strong emotional reaction from his viewers.

Ella Nail
Office Manager & Administrator, Sydney

(1) Adams, B., Sidney Nolan: Such is Life, 1982, Hutchinson, Melbourne, p.239
(2) Nolan, S., Sir Sidney Nolan: 3 Exhibitions at the 1982 Festival of Perth, Festival of Perth, 1982, exhibition
catalogue, p.4